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Helmut Abt

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Helmut Abt
Abt in 2022 at the NOIRLab HQ in Tucson, Arizona
Born
Helmut Arthur Abt

(1925-05-26)26 May 1925
Helmstedt, Brunswick, Germany
Died22 November 2024(2024-11-22) (aged 99)
Alma mater
AwardsGeorge Van Biesbroeck Prize (1997)
Scientific career
FieldsAstrophysicist
ThesisAn Analysis of the Variable Star, W Virginis (1952)
Doctoral advisorJesse L. Greenstein

Helmut Arthur Abt (26 May 1925 – 22 November 2024) was a German-born American astrophysicist, having worked at the National Optical Astronomy Observatory and an Elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.[1][2][3][4] He was astronomer emeritus at Kitt Peak National Observatory.[5][6]

Life and career

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Helmut Arthur Abt was born in Helmstedt, Germany on 26 May 1925.[7] His family emigrated to the United States when he was two.[7][6] He received his B.S. in Mathematics from Northwestern University in 1946, M.S. in Physics from Northwestern University in 1948,[8] and became the first person to be awarded a Ph.D. in astrophysics at California Institute of Technology in 1952 for his thesis work on W Virginis.[4][9]

He then spent a year at Lick Observatory.[7] From 1953 to 1959 he was assistant professor at Yerkes Observatory, part of the University of Chicago, then joined the staff of the Kitt Peak National Observatory as an astronomer, where he remained until 2000.[10][6] From 1966 to 1968, he was President of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific.[7] During 1971–1999 he was managing editor of the Astrophysical Journal.[4]

His areas of research included stellar rotation; binary stars, including spectroscopic binaries; stellar classification; and bibliometrics of astronomy publications.[5][6]

Abt died on 22 November 2024, at the age of 99.[11]

Awards and honors

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Abt was awarded the George Van Biesbroeck Prize in 1997.[10] The main-belt asteroid 9423 Abt, discovered by Spacewatch at Kitt Peak National Observatory in 1996,[3] and Abt's star (SV Crateris/ HD 98088/ ADS 8115) in the constellation Crater[12] were named in his honor.

References

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  1. ^ "Abt, Helmut". aaas.org. Archived from the original on 17 April 2017. Retrieved 16 April 2017.
  2. ^ "Interview". aip.org. 8 December 2014. Archived from the original on 17 April 2017. Retrieved 16 April 2017.
  3. ^ a b Schmadel, Lutz D. (2007). "(9423) Abt". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 692. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_7509. ISBN 978-3-540-00238-3.
  4. ^ a b c "NOAO Astronomer Helmut Abt turns 90". National Optional Astronomy Observatory. 2015. Archived from the original on 27 January 2019. Retrieved 26 January 2019.
  5. ^ a b "NOIRLab Scientific staff". NOIRLab. Archived from the original on 1 February 2023. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  6. ^ a b c d Nemeh, Katherine H., ed. (2020). "Abt, Helmut Arthur". American Men & Women of Science: A Biographical Directory of Today's Leaders in Physical, Biological, and Related Sciences. Vol. 1 (38th ed.). Farmington Hills, Michigan: Gale. p. 40. ISBN 978-0-02-866695-2. ISSN 0000-1287. OCLC 1152235791. Archived from the original on 23 February 2023. Retrieved 23 February 2023.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  7. ^ a b c d Cheng, K. S.; Leung, K. C.; Li, T. P., eds. (2003). "Helmut A. Abt". Stellar Astrophysics — A Tribute to Helmut A. Abt (PDF). Astrophysics and Space Science Library book series. Vol. 298. doi:10.1007/978-94-017-0403-8. ISBN 978-90-481-6452-3. ISSN 0067-0057. Archived (PDF) from the original on 27 January 2019. Retrieved 26 January 2019.
  8. ^ "Helmut Abt". National Optical Astronomy Observatory. Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA). Archived from the original on 9 July 2017. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  9. ^ Abt, Helmut Arthur (1952). An Analysis of the Variable Star W Virginis (PDF) (Ph.D.). Pasadena, California: California Institute of Technology. doi:10.7907/R3P7-KJ13. Archived (PDF) from the original on 29 January 2019. Retrieved 28 January 2019.
  10. ^ a b "Brief Introduction of Prof. Abt Helmut". Research in Astronomy and Astrophysics. ISSN 1674-4527. Archived from the original on 27 January 2019. Retrieved 26 January 2019.
  11. ^ Marvel, Kevin (2 December 2024). "Remembering Helmut Abt (1925 – 2024)". American Astronomical Society (AAS). Retrieved 6 December 2024.
  12. ^ Sky Catalogue 2000.0, Volume 2: Double Stars, Variable Stars and Nonstellar Objects - page xlv: Glossary of Selected Astronomical Names
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